WMU alumnus serves as Boy Scouts national president

Aug. 7, 2002

DALLAS -- Western Michigan University business graduate Roy
S. Roberts recently began a two-year term as national president
of the Boy Scouts of America. He is the first African-American
to serve as president of the 92 year-old organization.

Roberts' involvement with scouting spans more than 35 years.
He has served on the advisory board of the Detroit Area Council,
as chairman of the 1997 National Scout Jamboree, as vice president
of Venturing--scouting's coed program--and, most recently, as
executive vice president of the national organization. He was
named to BSA's National Executive Board in 1992. He is a recipient
of the Silver Buffalo Award, scouting's highest commendation,
awarded annually for exemplary volunteer service and dedication
to helping young people succeed.

A longtime executive with General Motors Corp., Roberts retired
from GM in February 2000, and now serves as managing director
for Reliant Equity Investors, a venture capital and investment
firm in Chicago. His career at GM spanned 23 years, and he served
in a variety of top positions, including vice president and general
manager in charge of vehicle sales, service and parts distribution
in the United States and, prior to that, as general manager of
the Pontiac-GMC Division.

The recipient of honorary doctorates from three universities,
Roberts also received the American Success Award in 1989, which
was presented by then President George Bush in the White House
Rose Garden. He serves on several corporate and charitable boards
of directors.

Roberts earned a bachelor of business administration degree
from WMU in 1970. He is a past trustee of the University and
a former director of the WMU Foundation. In 1995, he received
the WMU Alumni Association's highest honor, the Distinguished
Alumni Award.